Jeremiah Theus: Charleston’s Rococo Portraitist Jeremiah Theus (1716 – 1774) stands as a singular figure in the annals of early American art, primarily recognized for his prolific output of portraits executed during the flourishing Rococo period in Charleston, South Carolina. Born in Chur, Switzerland, he arrived in America with his family around 1740, driven by the promise of land grants and colonial opportunity offered by the British Crown. This migration marked the beginning of a career dedicated to capturing the elegance and sophistication of Charleston’s elite society—a remarkable feat…